Maya lets workers contest civic polls

In a U-turn from her earlier stand against her partys participation in the upcoming local bodies elections,former chief minister and BSP president Mayawati has now decided that her partys leaders and workers can contest the polls,but without using BSPs symbol and its flags.

In a U-turn from her earlier stand against her partys participation in the upcoming local bodies elections,former chief minister and BSP president Mayawati has now decided that her partys leaders and workers can contest the polls,but without using BSPs symbol and its flags. Also,they wont be using the names or pictures of party founder Kanshiram and Mayawati in the campaign materials.

The State Election Commission has already announced the programme of elections to constitute 12 municipal corporations,189 nagarpalika parishads and 404 nagar panchayats in 72 districts. Elections would be held in four phases in June and July.

On March 11,after the declaration of the results of UP Assembly poll,Mayawati had announced that her party will not participate in the local bodies elections in view of the return of Goondaraj and Jungleraj under the SP government.

Mayawati had then feared large-scale violence in the local bodies polls. She had also made it clear the party workers or leaders participating in the local bodies election would face suspension from the party.

According to a press release issued by the BSP today,party workers had requested Mayawati to review her decision to stop participation of party leaders and workers in the local bodies elections.

The release has clarified that although workers,who will contest the civic polls,will be independent candidate,they would be backed by the BSPs district and assembly units.

Sources in the BSP said the party leadership was under pressure by party functionaries for allowing them to contest the local bodies polls. Party coordinators also communicated to the former CM about a strong resentment prevailing among the ground level workers against her decision, a source in BSP said.

Earlier,the BSP government had attempted to delay the holding of local bodies’ elections in 2011. It had formulated the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities (Election of Members,corporators,chairman,mayor) Rules 2011,which barred political parties from contesting on their party symbols. In response to a PIL,the Allahabad High Court had quashed this particular clause of the rule.